Short, Simple and Personal reflections on the daily Holy Mass Gospel. I provide Talks and Recollections.

Quotations:

I am with you always until the end of this world - Jesus (Matthew 28:20).

Preach the Word in season and out of season reproving, rebuking or advising always with patience and providing instructions (2 Timothy 4:2).

Do not fear, Mary, for God has looked kindly on you (Luke 1:30).

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly. - G. K. Chesterton

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Thursday, November 8, 2012

My Reflections for November 11, Thirty-second Sunday in Ordinary Time Mark 12:38-44

Gospel:

In the
course of his teaching Jesus said to the crowds, "Beware of the scribes,
who like to go around in long robes and accept greetings in the marketplaces,
seats of honor in synagogues, and places of honor at banquets. They devour the
houses of widows and, as a pretext recite lengthy prayers. They will receive a
very severe condemnation."

He sat
down opposite the treasury and observed how the crowd put money into the
treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow also came and put in
two small coins worth a few cents. Calling his disciples to himself, he said to
them, "Amen, I say to you, this poor widow put in more than all the other
contributors to the treasury. For they have all contributed from their surplus
wealth, but she, from her poverty, has contributed all she had, her whole
livelihood."

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My
Reflections:

There is
a story of a poor woman who was always ready to give anything that she had for
the sake of those who were in need. Because of her generosity there were
instances that her children would gently remind her not to overly give and
reserve something for them.

But the
bighearted woman would softly tell her children that it is always in giving
that they would receive unfathomable blessings from God. True enough, there
were no instances wherein they were in need of anything; even if they were poor
they always have something for themselves because God takes care of those who
are generous. Very much like the poor widow in our first reading who generously
gave water and bread to the prophet Elijah thus from then on the good Lord
provided for the widow and her son.

We may
not know it but the poor are the most generous people in the world. They gave from the pureness of their hearts no
matter how small, they freely gave out of their poverty or need and never out
of their excess.

Compare
this with some of the rich who give as a result of their excess.
For example, those millionaires who give thousands to their favorite charities,
I think most of them give because the money that they would give will never
hurt their pockets anymore they have safely earmarked it already for charity.

True
generosity is epitomized by the poor widow in the gospel, she gave the little
money that she had and she gave out of her need. She could have bought food
with the two small coins that she had to satisfy her hunger but it never came
to her thought.

What was
paramount to the poor widow was to give without any string attached. Jesus
consequently favored the poor widow because He saw the pureness of her
intentions and the pureness of her generosity.

How do we
give to our church? How do we give to the poor and to those who are need?